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… Sir Christopher Lee returned to glory. Late last week “The Greatest”, “The Champ”, Muhammad Ali also returned to glory. Here is an interesting story I never knew about either:
Sir Christopher Lee on Muhammad Ali
“Is it true Muhammad Ali once dedicated a fight to you?
It is. I was promoting a film in Cleveland in 1975 and this PR man said, “Muhammad Ali is in town promoting a title fight [the Thrilla In Manila clash with Joe Frazier]. He’s a big fan and would love to meet you.” We went to this hotel, we had a long chat and I promised to watch the fight back in LA.
I actually went to [Playboy founder] Hugh Hefner’s mansion to watch it, along with a bunch of celebrities and a few boxers. At the end of the fight – which Ali won – this reporter shoved a mike under Ali’s face… “Do you have anything to say to your fans?” Ali says, “Yes. I just want to say that I won this fight for Christopher Lee, who’s out there watching me now.” I couldn’t believe it, because that’s a million dollars’ worth of publicity.
And when the lights came up, people were looking at me, stunned. And this black boxer said, “How did you do that?” I said, “Magic. Black magic.” Thank God he laughed!”
http://www.gamesradar.com/the-total-film-interview-christopher-lee/



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Those photos are magnificent!! One should also take the time to honor Smokin’ Joe Frazier as well. Ali’s legend would be huge without that trilogy of epic battles, but those fights are testament to the extraordinary capacity of the spirit. Frazier was completely blind for the final few rounds of the fight in Manila. He had an unpublicized injury to one eye throughout his career, and Ali had closed the other eye during the fight. If you see the fight, the monstrous, perfectly clean hooks Ali repeatedly landed were staggering. Yet, Frazier fought on, and still somehow managed to punish Ali with his own blows. Once the doctor stopped the fight after Round 14, Ali’s cornermen erupted. Ali himself stood, tried to raise his arms above his head, and collapsed. He later said he thought he would die. It was quite possible Ali himself may not have made it out of the corner for Round 15 had the doctors not stopped the fight. The temperature for that fight was something like 105 degrees! But my favorite Frazier moment was when his son Marvis got rushed into a title fight with a near-prime Larry Holmes and got KO’d in about 90 seconds. Humiliated, Marvis lowered his head and buried it into Smokin’ Joe’s chest, utterly ashamed. But the father was all smiles, hugging his son tightly and affirming him, “it’s ok. It’s ok.” One of the most beautiful, honorable things I have ever seen.
Christopher lee is a admiring actor i have enjoyed following/supporting his sense of humour is awesome, i miss him just as much as Peter Cushing.the best macabre actors in the world.
Excellent photos of Sir Christopher lee, i have admired him sunce 1958, i miss him dearly, i just love his singing and all his films. nobody will ever be so good as him to play Dracula etc.